Twist of Fate
by Arigatomina
Summary: YYHDBZ crossover. Yaoi, shonen ai, KuramaxHiei, GohanxTrunks. When Kurama falls through a warp in the Makai, Hiei follows and meets two saiyans who are having trouble with some pesky androids.
1. Default Chapter

Category: Anime, Yu Yu Hakusho, Dragon Ball Z, Yaoi, TWT (timeline-what-timeline), partial AU  
Warnings: shonen ai, very slight violence, possible humor  
Pairings: Kurama+Hiei/Hiei+Kurama, Mirai Gohan+Trunks/Trunks+Gohan, will be KuramaxHiei, GohanxTrunks  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=36850  
  
Twist of Fate  
  
Part 1  
  
He didn't sense anything that would have warned him, but then that made sense. Plants usually didn't give off any sort of youki. And his shock at having vines wrap around his waist and legs only lasted about ten seconds before he stilled. The scowl he directed at the strong plants could have withered them. But if he'd wanted to do that, he'd have raised his own youki. "Where are you?" he muttered, red eyes narrowing as he folded his arms over his chest. Sure enough, bushes parted to give way to the frowning redhead and his lips turned downward even more. "Nice greeting."  
  
"You're late," Kurama said sharply, ignoring Hiei's disapproving gaze. As if the youkai's anger were real, he knew better. If anyone had the right to be angry, it was him. "Three days ago, Hiei, I've been waiting three days."  
  
"I said *about* a month," Hiei reminded him, leaning back against the vines that were still supporting his waist. "You should not count days."  
  
"So about a month means give or take a week?" A black eyebrow rose at his tone and Kurama folded his own arms, mimicking Hiei's position as he moved closer to the small demon. "How was I supposed to know you hadn't gone off and got yourself killed? It's not like I have someone to report to me from the Makai, Hiei."  
  
"You weren't worried about that." Smirking when Kurama's expression went blank, Hiei tilted his head to the side, glancing up at the tall youth. "More likely Mukuro."  
  
"What am I supposed to think?" Kurama glared, leaning down so his face was mere inches from the black-haired male's. "I *know* you two have a bond or something, but *I'm* the lover, here. I just don't see why you have to spend more time with her than with me."  
  
"You live in the Ningenkai," Hiei reminded him, still smirking. It was an old argument, and he rather enjoyed how jealous the youko-turned-human got about him. It was flattering. "You're lucky I visit you at all."  
  
"Oh is that right? You know, I don't *have* to come chasing after you every time you're late like this." Red eyes blinked and Kurama nodded sharply. "I know you keep leaving me waiting so I'll get impatient and come here after you. You're not fooling anyone."  
  
"Ch'. Believe what you like." Dropping his eyes, Hiei jumped out of the vines gripping him, landing lightly a few feet away. "No one made you come here. I didn't."  
  
"Liar." His small lover smirked at his distasteful expression and Kurama sighed, grabbing a fist of Hiei's cloak to pull him close. "You know I can't stay away. You *do* do it on purpose."  
  
"Am I to blame for your control problem? You're the one who kept the youko buried for so many years." Long black lashes nearly hid his eyes as he smirked at Kurama, enjoying the warning glare.  
  
"I told you already, I didn't know *how* to shift forms." Lazy red eyes watched him and Kurama shook his head suddenly. "I didn't come here to have this discussion again. I'm going back home, and I'm taking you with me."  
  
Hiei glanced down, his gaze sliding over the pale hand holding his cloak before rising to Kurama's neck. "Why? We can do it here as well as there. No reason to make the trip for such a short stay."  
  
"Short?!" Eyes widening, Kurama growled, giving the short youkai a shake. "You promised to stay for a week! Don't act like you don't remember, I'm not in the mood for games."  
  
"You're always in the mood for games," Hiei shot back, not losing his lazy expression. "And I remember my words. I said when I visited you again, I would stay for a week. But you're visiting me." Those green eyes stared at him for a second before he was released and he let out a sharp, quick laugh. "You forgot."  
  
"You conniving little koorime." The laugh stopped at the name and Kurama took perverse satisfaction out of his low blow. While his mother might have been an ice maiden, Hiei was anything but an ice demon. Still, the irritating fellow deserved it. "That's it. I warned you the last time, Hiei, that I wasn't going to come after you anymore. Well, I did, but this is the last straw." Red eyes frowned at the phrase and Kurama paused to explain. "This is the last little thing I'm going to take from you. Our relationship is a two-party thing."  
  
"Relationship?"   
  
Kurama glared when Hiei raised an eyebrow at him and he turned his back abruptly, raising his head and shaking thick red hair over his shoulders. "I'm leaving, now. If you decide to keep your word and visit, you're welcome. If not, you know where I'll be."  
  
"What are you playing, now?" Hiei asked, his low voice mocking as he made no move to follow the angry teen. He'd known Kurama too long to believe he'd actually leave without dragging him back with him. But the redhead's human side *did* cause him to have mood swings at times, so he felt a twinge of uncertainty when the male continued to walk away from him. Glaring, he folded his arms, determined not to give in to the ridiculous urge he had to chase after Kurama and demand an explanation. He didn't move from his spot, but he watched as that bright red hair grew dim in the distance, green plants separating them. Then a startled cry hit his ears and he *did* move, darting after Kurama. It took two seconds for him to reach the spot where he'd last seen the male and he crouched, eyes wide as he looked down from the limb he'd landed on. The grass beneath him gave way to a dark shadow and he stared for nearly a minute before raising an eyebrow. "You fell into a hole?" His lips twitched, but he hopped down, crouching again to look into the darkness. Silence met him and he frowned, wondering if this weren't part of Kurama's game. He wouldn't put anything past a disgruntled youko. "Do you expect me to come down there after you?" The darkness was too thick for him to see and he tensed suddenly, jerking the band off his forehead. He sensed nothing from that hole and his lips curved back, baring small sharp teeth. "Kurama?! Kisama...baka!" Gripping the white cloth in one hand, he sneered a bit more before jumping into the hole.  
  
* * *  
  
If he hadn't fallen into the hole, Kurama might have landed on his feet, or at least had time to slow his fall. As it was, he could only be vaguely grateful that the building he landed on was a tall one. If only it wasn't so hard. Dazed, he lay still, eyes taking in the pale sky above him as he smelled the familiar scent of a city. The Ningenkai? But there was no reason for a portal to be in the middle of the forest, and he knew the hole hadn't been there when he'd first come to find Hiei. He would have noticed it. His head pounded for a moment before he sighed and pushed himself up, shaking off the pain. It would hurt later, but he ignored it as best he could, blinking as he stumbled to the edge of the roof. The city below was not one he recognized, and he was frowning in confusion when the foundation rocked suddenly. Eyes wide, he wheeled as the cement beneath him shook, his arms going out to keep his balance. Long red hair whipped in his face and he groaned when the roof caved in suddenly, his eyes closing in more irritation at his own stupidity than fear of injury. In the back of his mind, he heard explosions, sensed the power behind them, and wondered if Hiei would notice he'd fallen through a warp. Then he was falling and he didn't bother to think anymore.  
  
Being buried alive was more than most humans could handle, but Kurama was just glad he'd managed to grow the plant-shield quickly enough to keep from being crushed. How to get out was another problem. Using another seed from his thick hair, he braced the tons of building material above him as he crawled out of the wreckage. It wasn't until he made it to open air that he let himself fall on his stomach, a soft sigh passing his lips. He hadn't had such a close call since the tournament in the Makai. His eyes were closed and he was still taking deep breaths when he heard something land near him. Blinking, he pushed himself up, not sure what to think when a young boy stared at him as if he were a ghost...or a demon. The irony was not lost on him. And he had just made his way out of a building that had to have been at least ten stories high. Thinking of that, his head jerked to the side, eyes flying back to the rubble. "Oh, no...the people..."  
  
"You're alive," the boy said quickly, pale blue eyes wide as he crouched beside the injured person. It looked like a girl to him, with those brilliant green eyes and that long red hair, and he was simply amazed that she looked to be fine. Aside from a small trail of blood on her cheek, he couldn't see any horrible wounds. "No one ever survives one of their attacks..." Green eyes flicked to him and he winced, knowing he hadn't helped. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Attack?" The boy blinked at him, but Kurama shook his head, turning a bit as he sat up. He hadn't really looked at anything but the demolished building, but his blood froze as he saw the destruction around them. There was a body not five feet away, hanging out of a burning car. The lifeless slant was enough to make him drop his eyes, glaring at the ground. A moment passed before he turned his frown on the worried boy, eyes glancing over the pale lavender hair. "What happened here?"  
  
"You don't remember?" Eyes widening, Trunks hesitated for a minute before offering the teen a hand up. From the flat chest he could see beneath the white shirt, he doubted if it were a girl, but it didn't really matter. The person was a survivor, that was close enough to a miracle for him to be out of sorts. A pale hand closed around his, but no weight was put on him as the redhead stood, shaking his hand firmly.  
  
"I'm afraid I don't," Kurama said quickly, flashing a slight smile. He didn't know where they were, but they were definitely in the Ningenkai. That was enough to make him hide his origin. It wouldn't do to let humans know he'd fallen through a hole in the Makai. No, that was a bad idea. "I'm Minamino Suiichi." The boy seemed unsure of himself, making Kurama wonder if he didn't sense something odd about him.  
  
"Trunks Brief," the boy said quickly, glancing at the teen's red hair as he caught a glint of green in it. It was a leaf and he plucked it before he even thought about what he was doing, a quick blush tinting his cheeks when the redhead raised an eyebrow at him.   
  
"I wonder how that go there," Kurama said, his expression innocent. The boy dropped it quickly and he lifted a hand, rubbing at his neck as he made sure none of his seeds were visible. He hadn't exactly hidden his plants during his excavation.   
  
"You're hurt," Trunks said suddenly, frowning at himself. He was acting like an idiot. The androids could come back, might not have even gone too far, and yet he was just standing there with the only survivor of the massacre. "Come, I'll fly us out of here." The teen stared at him and he shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm not like the androids. They aren't the only ones who can fly."  
  
There was something pressing on his mind and Kurama listened suddenly, his eyes widening. "You aren't a ningen."  
  
"What?"  
  
The boy looked confused and Kurama took a step closer, barely resisting the urge to shift to youko form. If he did, he'd be able to sense that odd energy better. It definitely had reiki in it, proof that the boy was at least *part* human, but most of it was something he couldn't define. Not youki, but a definite spirit or power of some kind. "What are you?"  
  
Opening his mouth, Trunks stood still, not sure what to say. Then his eyes flicked upward, a relieved sigh passing his lips as he caught sight of a familiar form. "Gohan-san!"  
  
Gohan landed next to the boy, green eyes moving from Trunks to the tall red-haired male as he raised an eyebrow. "Trunks? Is this a survivor?"  
  
"Yes! I was going to take him out of here, in case they came back." The blonde-haired super-saiyan nodded sharply and Trunks glanced at Suiichi, wondering if he were going to forget his question. From the way the teen was staring at Gohan, he doubted it. But they weren't sworn to secrecy, or anything, not as far as he knew.  
  
Turning to the redhead, Gohan offered an arm, nodding sharply. "Come, it's not safe to stay here. We'll take you to friends of ours. Unless you have family somewhere?" He didn't glance around, hoping the male wouldn't break down if he'd lost his relatives in the attack.  
  
"You aren't human, either," Kurama murmured, shaking his head. The tall newcomer frowned at him and he shook his head quickly. "I'll go with you. I want to know where this is. I've never met people like you before."  
  
"There aren't any people like us left," Trunks said softly, looking away when Gohan gave him a quick glance. His tall friend pulled the redhead against him and he followed him into the sky, his gaze touching on the various scenes of carnage beneath them. It would have torn him apart if he hadn't found Suiichi. To think, that one person had managed to survive. That was just enough to give him a bit of hope. The androids hadn't killed *everybody*, they weren't perfect.  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei landed on a pile of rubble the size of a small mountain, glaring red eyes outshone by the bright blue one in the center of his forehead. He didn't pause to look at the remains of the building, his gaze snapping to dim but glowing figures flying off into the distance. Humans, both of them, but with reiki strong enough to make Kuwabara look like a child. Not that the orange-haired ningen was strong, but he wasn't weak either. And the two departing ningens were blowing things up as they flew away. He didn't know what to think of the hole, or the fact that he'd obviously just jumped into the Ningenkai after promising himself he wouldn't come back, but he didn't doubt those two knew more than he did. Humans with power that strong were probably in Sensui's class. He was the only other ningen Hiei had ever seen fly. There was no sign of Kurama, but his fury was locked on the two figures, accusing them of the redhead's disappearance. Without a second thought, he bounded after them, speed blurring his motions as he leapt over and onto heaps of rubble, closing the distance between him and his prey.  
  
* * *  
  
"You know," Eighteen murmured, flying next to her brother, "we're going to have to find a way to draw that out more. There are only so many humans on this little planet for us to kill. And you know I don't like destroying department stores." The black-haired android glanced at her and she frowned at his mocking gaze.  
  
"You and you're obsession with clothing," Seventeen muttered. "But you're right about the humans. Not that I don't enjoy blowing the cities up. But I was hoping Gohan would show."  
  
"He's so much fun," Eighteen agreed, a smile curving her pale lips. "I thought he'd come, but we might not have given him enough time. It's not like he knows where we're going to attack."  
  
"He managed to show up before," the male reminded her. "He's persistent."  
  
"What do you expect from a saiyan? The other fighters were like that, too." Pale blue eyes narrowing, the blonde girl gave him a quick look. "You keep letting Gohan live, but you killed them quickly enough. You don't have a *thing* for him, do you?" The black-haired android halted suddenly, hovering in the air and she laughed, pausing so she could turn and face him. "You do!"  
  
"No! I just know better than to kill the last resistance this pathetic planet has against us," Seventeen glared. "Without him, there's nothing to do. We'd blow the place to bits and then sit on our asses for eternity. At least with him we can beat the shit out of him and know he'll come back for more the next time."  
  
"You're so sweet on him," Eighteen laughed, pointing a finger when the boy looked ready to attack her. "Who do you think you're kidding? The only time you let me fight him is when he's kicking your ass."  
  
"That saiyan?! He's *never* come close to beating me." The female was enjoying his denials and he blanked his expression suddenly, dark-rimmed eyes narrowing. "It sounds like you're jealous that he fights with me and not you. Why is that?" The girl blinked and he smirked when her cheeks turned red. "Hah!"  
  
"I wouldn't go for that ugly saiyan even if he were the last living being on this planet!" Her brother laughed at her and her hands curled into fists. "You're just putting your own feelings on me."  
  
"We don't have feelings," Seventeen reminded her, smirking when she blinked. "Come on, let's go back to the lab. Unless you want to fight over your precious saiyan some more." Eighteen gave him a dirty look and he shook his head, silky black hair brushing his cheeks. "You're the one who started it." He expected a harsh rejoinder to his taunt and he frowned when he saw that her eyes were on the ground beneath them.   
  
"What's that?" Eighteen asked, her voice making it sound as if she'd spotted a bug on her shirt.  
  
Blinking, Seventeen looked down, smirking when he caught sight of a slight figure standing on the cliff below, black head tilted back as he looked up at them. "Some kid. Want to kill him?"  
  
"Why not," Eighteen shrugged carelessly. "What's one more?" Pointing a finger at the black-robed figure, she blinked bored eyes before firing a blast that showered them with bits of rock, the cliff blown apart. The dark figure disappeared into the dust and she was turning to fly onward when she halted suddenly, disbelief widening her eyes as she saw the youth land on a mountain near to the one she'd struck.   
  
"Oh," Seventeen murmured, eyes sparking as he made out a glaring red gaze. "I think he wants to play with us. Let's humor him."  
  
"Who is he?" Eighteen frowned, irritated since she didn't know how the boy had managed to get away quickly enough to avoid her blast. If he'd flown, he must have done it too low for her to see.  
  
"Doesn't matter," the black-haired android shrugged. "Let's play."  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks stopped suddenly when light exploded in the distance behind them, his eyes widening. "There aren't any towns there," he said quickly, his eyes going to Gohan. "What are they doing?" The red-haired teen's head jerked suddenly and he blinked when his friend and master gave a surprised sound.  
  
"Hey!" Gohan said, frowning at the struggling human. "I almost dropped you."  
  
"Hiei! Let go." They weren't that high in the air and Kurama twisted against the strong arm wrapped around his waist. The blonde man only tightened the grip and he glared at him suddenly, green eyes narrowing. "It's Hiei!"  
  
"Someone you know is over there?" Matching the glare, Gohan turned his gaze on Trunks. "I'll go, take him back to your mother's."  
  
"But Gohan-san-"  
  
"Hanase!"  
  
Trunks flinched when the youth fell suddenly, dazed eyes going to Gohan's shocked expression and he barely had time to dive downward before the human landed in an easy crouch. "Suiichi! It's too dangerous for you to go near the androids." The youth paid no attention, running back toward the demolished city and Trunks paused when a hand fell on his shoulder.  
  
"Take care of him," Gohan nodded, his expression still dark. "I'll see if I can save his friend."  
  
"Right." His master flew past in a surge of speed and Trunks landed in the path of the running human, holding his arms out. Kurama ground to a halt and he gave him a sympathetic and pleading look. "I know you must be worried, but if anyone can protect your friend from the androids, it's Gohan-san."  
  
Kurama shot an angry glare at the light that marked the retreating figure, knowing to fly would have been much faster. The boy in front of him seemed confident that whatever Hiei was up against would kill him, but Kurama knew better. The androids Trunks kept mentioning must be the ones who'd destroyed the city, but they were quite possibly also the ones who'd caused the rip into the Makai. If Hiei were here, then he was challenging them. There was no way Kurama was going to wait to hear the results. "Either fly me there, or move," Kurama said softly, his voice holding only a hint of the coldness he felt. "I don't have time to argue with you." Those blue eyes widened and he almost felt sorry, the boy was young, even if he wasn't human.  
  
"If you went," Trunks said slowly, hardening his voice, "you'll just get yourself killed as well. That won't help your friend. You can trust Gohan-san."  
  
"I trust myself more," Kurama said sharply. Things were different now, he realized. The boy wasn't human, at least not only human, so he didn't have to hide his identity. And since he didn't recognize the place, he doubted if anyone would recognize him. His hand rose to his hair, plucking a seed and hiding it in his curled fingers. "If you want to continue arguing with me, follow." The boy frowned, but he dodged past him, running again. If only he had Hiei's speed, he'd be there in no time. He felt a surge of odd power when Trunks leapt after him, but he didn't slow, shifting forms to increase his own speed. A quick smirk curved his lips when he felt that power come to a sudden stop and he ran faster, leaving him behind.  
  
He'd meant to catch Suiichi and hold him forcibly if necessary. But the sight of that long red hair suddenly bleeding to silvery white made him jerk to a halt, his eyes wide. The boy's clothing was still white, but it seemed lighter, the robe longer but not hiding the silvery tail that trailed down to the back of his knees. "What on earth...?" The male was moving faster than he'd thought possible and he thrust himself into action, a surge of power allowing him to catch up until he was flying low alongside the runner. "What are you?!"  
  
"You wouldn't tell me," Kurama hissed, not slowing at all. His amber eyes were angry slits and he turned them on the flying boy. "Fly me there!" He was fully prepared to make the boy, but he hoped it wouldn't be necessary, his hand clenched lightly around the fox grass seed.  
  
This time, Trunks didn't hesitate, nodding sharply. He almost fell when the light-haired youth leapt onto his back, and his cheeks turned red despite himself. But Suiichi seemed easy enough when he glanced back at him. "Gohan-san will kill me for this, Suiichi."  
  
"Kurama," the youko said lightly, crouching on the boy's back, "And I won't let him. You have my word."  
  
The confidence made him smirk, but Trunks doubted the strange being had any idea how strong Gohan was. "What are you? I'm half saiyan," he said quickly, remembering the soft accusation.  
  
"I'm a youko," Kurama said, squinting his eyes against the fine silvery hair that flew against his face. "From the Makai originally. I've never heard of a saiyan. You don't have any youki."  
  
"Ki? Of course I do!" Glaring over his shoulder, Trunks nearly flew into a pile of rocks, lifting quickly. "I may not be a super-saiyan, but I'm still stronger than any human alive." A pale eyebrow was raised at him and he frowned. "What's the Makai?"  
  
"Fly faster." The boy did, the reiki thickening around him until Kurama's white pants were blurred by the color. Whatever mixture of power the boy had, his human energy wasn't lacking at all. "It's the demon world. I'm a youkai, reborn in ningen form." Confusion ran rampant over the boy's expression, but Kurama shook his head, crouching lower to eliminate any wind resistance. "I'll explain after I find Hiei. He must have followed me..."  
  
"This friend," Trunks said, rising a bit more so he could look back at his passenger without risking a head-on collision, "Is he like you?"  
  
"Youkai, yes," Kurama said, glancing over the boy's head as he felt something. It hadn't registered before since his powers were lower in human form, but he could feel a definite surge of reiki along with Hiei's familiar youki. Whatever the androids Trunks had spoken of were, they were also human. And strong. "Can you go any faster?"  
  
Trunks glared at the ground beneath him, not responding. If he'd been like Gohan, he'd just have turned super-saiyan for more speed. But he didn't have that level of power, not yet. Instead, he clenched his teeth, increasing what power he did have until it burned around him. In a rare bit of perversity, he hoped the stranger found it difficult to hold on amid the heat. Kurama didn't seem to realize how much trouble he was going to be in when Gohan found out he'd followed. That worried him almost as much as the thought of facing the androids.  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei glared when the two ningens landed a few feet in front of him. They were much smaller than he'd expected from their energy levels, but it didn't matter. He was angry enough not to care about the law against killing humans. "Reikai tante?" he growled, hands curling into fists. It would make sense. After all, the strongest humans were gathered to work for the Reikai, and the spirit world still had warrants out for Yusuke's arrest. It wouldn't surprise him if that included Kurama and himself as well.  
  
"What?" Frowning at the little youth, Eighteen gave a doubtful look to her brother. "What's he babbling?" The male shrugged, smiling at her and she looked back at the black-clothed boy, taking in his dark hair. "He reminds me of someone..."  
  
"One of those saiyans we killed," Seventeen nodded, smiling wider when she let out a sharp laugh. "But he's nearly as small as the bald fighter was." Red eyes snapped to him and he folded his arms. "So, are you another saiyan?"  
  
"Where's Kurama?" The black-haired teen raised an eyebrow at him and Hiei's right hand curled, longing to lift the band off his forehead. He'd replaced it after his landing earlier, once he'd found himself in the Ningenkai, but he had an incredible urge to simply destroy both of the mocking ningens. "You tell me, or I make you tell me."  
  
"He's got spunk for a little kid," Eighteen smirked. She could tell from the male's low voice that he probably wasn't as young as he looked, but that just made it better to insult him. "What's the matter? Did we kill someone you know in that city, back there?" Red eyes widened suddenly and she laughed, pointing a finger at the blank expression. "Oh, I think we did!"  
  
"Kisama..." It took nearly a minute before he recovered from his shock and Hiei snorted, shaking his head. "You couldn't kill him. How did you open the portal?" Again, they gave no response to his question and Hiei growled, teeth clenched as he jerked the band off his jagan. The third eye opened with a spark of dark youki and he read them. Then he relaxed with a confident smirk. He should have done that to begin with. Kurama *was* nearby, but he was on his way to their location. If he'd wanted to, he could have pointed the exact direction the fox would come from. The only thing that surprised him was the speed with which the youko was moving. But that could wait. He still wanted to know how the two ningen's had managed to find them in the Makai, and why they'd caused a rift into this world. And he wanted to wipe the smirks off their faces, too, but that would come in time.   
  
"What are you?" Seventeen asked, his smile widening as he bent forward to look down at the short boy. "A mix of them? You even have three eyes." He shared a smirk with Eighteen before meeting glaring red eyes again. "If you had green skin, I'd believe you were." That hateful gaze dropped for a second and he was actually surprised to see the startled way the boy blinked at him.  
  
It took another minute, but Hiei shoved off his surprise that the male knew about his other form. He rarely used it, but he *had* taken the form in his first fight against Yusuke. It made sense that a reikai tante would know about it. Still, he wondered what the boy was talking about, the mix, the others. He didn't understand any of it, and the male had yet to address any of his questions. "Answer or I kill you now."  
  
"You're confident," Seventeen commented, raising an eyebrow at the boy.  
  
"Are you going to fight him, or not?" Eighteen asked, frowning at her brother when he blinked and looked at her in surprise. "If you aren't, then stand aside."  
  
"Oh, do you want this one?" The girl smiled suddenly and Seventeen gave her an uncertain expression. "What?"  
  
"He's kind of cute," Eighteen grinned, sly eyes turning back to the short male who was currently glaring darker at her. "I want to kill him."  
  
With a quick laugh, Seventeen stepped back, floating over the drop as he reached the edge of the cliff. "Go ahead. You already missed him once, though." Folding his arms, he watched as she stepped toward the boy, noting that Hiei gave no move, still glaring with all three eyes. "Make it good, if I'm going to be a spectator."  
  
"Count on it," Eighteen purred, her eyes sweeping over the black-haired boy. He was wearing a long cloak that looked enough like a dress for her to smirk at him. As slender and short as he was, she'd be hard pressed to draw the fight out, but at least he was glaring as if he didn't know he'd die in a few seconds. Lunging forward suddenly, she punched him, her eyes widening when her fist barely brushed a bit of cloth before she wheeled to find the boy standing behind her, still giving that droll glare.  
  
"Is that it?" Hiei asked, his low voice mocking. "Don't think I am easy on females. I'm not Yusuke." The girl glared and he sidestepped her again, a tiny glimmer of a nod given to the strength behind her blow. If it had landed, he'd have been thrown back for yards. "You want to die?"  
  
"You're asking for it," Eighteen growled, standing for a moment as her fists clenched. Then she launched forward again, faster this time, throwing multiple blows at the small figure. And they met, striking solid muscle as the boy blocked her, matching her speed as if he were a saiyan. Pushing him back, she finally broke through the defense, landing a hard punch on the side of his face. Rather than following, she smirked, watching as he skidded back and nearly went off the edge of the cliff.  
  
Hiei wavered for a split second, crouching on the edge of the rock. He gave her credit, she was strong. He should have used his sword to slice her into pieces long before now, but he knew that if he killed a human, Kurama would never let him hear the end of it. They had enough problems with the Reikai without adding that crime. Straightening, he touched his thumb to the edge of his mouth, brushing his lips and dropping his eyes to the spot of blood. He caught the female's eyes as his tongue swept up the small red mark, then he disappeared.  
  
Rearing back, Eighteen glared as something bright glinted past her cheek, fast enough that the sword was blurred. She didn't know where he'd gotten it from, he moved too fast for even her to follow and she hadn't been watching for a weapon. The little fighter pressed on her until she lifted from the ground, a dark gaze snapping to her brother as the android suddenly flew at her opponent. The black-haired boy was knocked back and she cursed, glaring at Seventeen when the boy fell off the cliff. "You said he was mine!"  
  
"Get over it," Seventeen shot out, landing on the cliff. "You were acting like you couldn't keep up with him." He started to say something more when he saw her eyes widen and he turned, narrowly missing a sharp blade as the boy was abruptly in front of him.   
  
It was against his nature to show mercy and Hiei flashed at the black-haired ningen, each slash of his blade coming faster, harder. If he'd only been facing the girl, he might have been able to beat her without killing. But he only needed one of them alive to answer his questions and he could deal with Kurama's anger later. The humans had attacked him. It couldn't be helped if they met their ends because of it. The young man flew upward and he leapt after him, twisting in the air and slicing inches off that shoulder-length black hair. Then he growled, eyes closing as a hot ball of energy struck his back and he fell hard, tearing into the cliff below.   
  
Without a glance at his sister, Seventeen dove after the boy and straight into a charged fist that tore into his stomach and sent him flying back and into Eighteen. He had a glimpse of familiar golden hair before he struck the female and they both crashed into the cliff she'd demolished earlier.  
  
Not one to leave a fight, Gohan knew he didn't dare follow the androids, his green eyes moving to the still form below. Dropping quickly, he gave a grateful sigh when the curled figure moved slightly, dark-clothed back to him. He crouched, arms moving around a slender waist as he pulled the small boy close to him. Then he flew back the direction he'd come. It had taken seconds for the rescue, but he knew the androids would recover quickly and he didn't go far before he dropped again, ducking back into the shadow of one of the cliffs. The boy in his arms moved suddenly and he tightened his arms, frowning down at the ducked head. "Quiet," he said softly.  
  
His muscles clenched and Hiei growled when he found he couldn't break the hold around him. The strength he felt from the one holding him was only half the reiki he'd sensed from the androids, but there was something else added to that and it must have made the difference. His jagan flashed, black imprinting his sight as he raised his youki until a surprised gasp sounded behind him, the hands crossed over his stomach clenching from the heat. Not hesitating, Hiei curled his right hand, black wisps of smoke swirling around it until the bandages suddenly ignited, falling into bits of ash. "Hanase..."  
  
The boy was clearly on fire and Gohan dropped him suddenly, crouching in a defensive stance. He'd seen Seventeen strike the dark figure and had assumed that was the red-haired boy's friend. But the one who turned on him didn't look at all human and he stared at the dark eye blazing from Hiei's forehead. He had a brief remembrance of Tien before the boy raised his right arm and Gohan's eyes dropped to the black shape twining around it.  
  
"Another one," Hiei growled, eyes sweeping over the tall man, taking in the spiky blonde hair. "I ask you first, how did you cause the rift?"  
  
"What?" The boy sneered at him and Gohan glanced up, looking at the sky warily. There was no sign of the androids and he turned to the boy again, frowning as he ignored the small serpent that seemed to be curled around that raised arm. "You were being beaten by the androids," he said, raising his chin as he remembered who he was. "If they're enemies of yours, they're also mine. There's no point fighting each other."  
  
"You don't want to fight," Hiei said mockingly, the black dragon relaxing on his arm as he let it fall again. "That's fine. Tell me how you found us and I let you live. I've no business with the Reikai tante."  
  
"With the what?" The boy wasn't making sense, but Gohan looked away again, his eyes widening when he felt a familiar ki. For a moment he was confused, then his brows lowered into a glare. "Damnit Trunks. I told you not to come." The black-haired fighter gave him an odd look but he didn't pay him any attention, lifting until he could see the boy flying toward him. The wary expression on that pale face was almost enough to calm his anger at the disobedience. Then he noticed Trunks' passenger and he blinked. Golden eyes flicked to him an instant before the white-clothed person leapt off Trunks back and Gohan turned, eyes following billowing cloth and a long-haired tail as the youko landed. Trunks reached him and he threw the boy a confused look before glancing down again.  
  
Rising from his crouch, Kurama stalked to the short youkai, taking in the mocking expression. "How did I know you'd start trouble the moment you got here?"  
  
"Baka." Ignoring the youko, Hiei looked up at the two males hovering above them. "Do you consort with the enemy?"  
  
"They aren't enemies," Kurama said absentmindedly, his hands running over Hiei's smudged cheek, fingering the slight tears in the black cloak. "You've fought."  
  
"Barely before *that* one interrupted." A hand turned his face and Hiei gave the youko a droll look, not pulling back. "What?" Fingers curled in his thick hair and he rolled his eyes when Kurama jerked him close for a sudden kiss. Nearly a minute passed before the youko eased his grip and Hiei raised an eyebrow at him. "And that was for?"  
  
"I was worried," Kurama admitted, releasing the short demon as he flicked long silvery hair over his shoulder. The fine strands fell to his back, thickening as red overtook them and he shifted back to ningen form. Hiei was smirking at him and he shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't know what was happening to you."  
  
"I followed *you* into that damned hole," Hiei snorted. "You should watch where you step the next time you make a dramatic exit."  
  
"I really was going to leave you there," Kurama said sharply, remembering how irritated he'd been at the youkai. "And that hole wasn't there before." A dark eyebrow raised again and he lifted his chin suddenly, turning his head away. "I thank you for worrying about me, even if fighting was more important than finding out where I was."  
  
"I followed them to find you," Hiei muttered, "not for worry but revenge. You can take care of yourself, as I can." The ningen turned back to him with a brilliant smile and he made a disgruntled face when a long-fingered hand ruffled his hair. "Baka."  
  
Staring down at the pair, Gohan blinked slowly, his voice soft and directed to the boy beside him. "Who is that?"  
  
"That's Suiichi--Kurama," Trunks said, his own eyes wide. He couldn't believe the two had just kissed, right there in front of them. Glancing to Gohan when the redhead switched forms again, he nodded. "He changed right after you left and demanded to come after you. I know you said not to, I'm sorry. He was adamant. If I hadn't taken him, he would have come on his own."  
  
The boy was strong enough to refuse one human, Gohan knew, but the two beneath them didn't seem to be human at all. Not when the redhead had sported a tail moments before. Trunks was watching him with a guilty expression and he touched the boy's shoulder, squeezing slightly. "Fine. The androids must have gone ahead, so there's no harm done." The lavender-haired boy gave him a quick smile and he returned it before turning his head to look down again. The two were talking to each other and he dropped until he was standing a few feet away, Trunks following. Kurama was wrapping a bandage around the short boy's arm and he looked at the black tattoo, recognizing it as the serpent that had been moving earlier.  
  
"Always prepared," Hiei commented, standing at ease while the youth covered his arm.  
  
"Not much choice with you," Kurama drawled, green eyes flashing at Hiei. "Was the kokoryuuha necessary against them?"  
  
"I was going to use it on him." Looking past Kurama, Hiei glared at Gohan, his brow twitching when he saw that the tall man's hair had turned black somehow. The energy he'd sensed before was nearly imperceptible. "He interrupted my fight."  
  
"Oh." Kurama finished, tucking the roll of bandages into his vest before turning to the two males behind them. "He came to save you," he said, a quick smile curving his lips when Hiei raised an eyebrow at him. "They were afraid my friend would be killed by their enemies. And looking at you, I'd say they're strong, ne?"  
  
"Ch', not so strong." The redhead was watching him and Hiei glared suddenly, pointing a finger at the male's chest. "If it weren't for you, I'd have killed them immediately."  
  
"Me?" Kurama asked, blinking in confusion, "what did I have to do with it?"  
  
"No killing ningens, I knew you'd harp if I did." A smile answered his accusation and Hiei snorted, folding his arms and looking away. "Hard to fight for wounding, easier to kill outright."  
  
He knew it was the dark-haired youkai's style to kill immediately. Hiei was one to go for an enemy's throat without ever judging the strength of his opposition. The only time he'd ever seen the youkai draw a fight out was when he used his kokoryuuha on himself. Only then did Hiei allow himself to enjoy a fight. "Hai, I understand. But Trunks says they are androids, not humans." Red eyes snapped to him and he glanced at the lavender-haired boy in question. "Trunks, Gohan, this is Hiei."  
  
"We've met," Gohan drawled, frowning at the glare the short male was sending him. He didn't know what to think of the two strangers, but holding their position wasn't wise. The androids might not have gone far and he didn't want to have a fight anywhere near Trunks. The two others might stubbornly go to their deaths, but he wouldn't let Trunks fight, not yet. The boy still had too much training to go through to waste it all now. Catching Kurama's gaze, he jerked his head upward. "We're going now, you can come with us."  
  
"Where are you going?" Kurama asked, ignoring the dark look Hiei shot him. He had questions he wanted the two to answer and he saw no reason for not going with them. They were something beyond ningen or youkai, and he wanted to know what as much as he wanted to know how they'd managed to fall into the Ningenkai.  
  
"My mom's house," Trunks told him, receiving a nod from Gohan. "You're more than welcome."  
  
Glancing down at his comrade, Kurama smiled. "Hiei?"  
  
"Stay with a ningen?" Hiei growled, "Why should I?" A hand swept toward his head and he caught Kurama's wrist, frowning at the redhead's glare. "What?"  
  
"Stop being rude," Kurama warned, "it's uncalled for." His wrist was released and he nodded when Hiei looked away. Looking at Trunks and Gohan, he smiled. "We'd be happy to join you."  
  
Noting that Trunks made no offer to take one of them, Gohan frowned at the boy. Then he remembered how Kurama had ridden before and a smirk passed over his lips before disappearing quickly. He could well imagine how embarrassed the boy must have been. The redhead was watching him and he offered a hand to him. "I'll give you a lift so long as you don't jump down again." The boy smiled and let out a soft laugh.  
  
"Agreed," Kurama said. He saw Hiei frown when he stepped to the tall man, and he shot the little youkai a quick smirk as a strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him against Gohan's side. "Coming, Hiei?"  
  
"I can carry you both," Gohan assured him, hiding his wariness as he remembered the way the boy had grown hot suddenly.   
  
"No need," Hiei said darkly, looking away.  
  
"We're going fast," Trunks warned, losing his embarrassment as he looked at the short male. "It would take too long if you walked."  
  
"Don't worry about him," Kurama sighed, glancing at Trunks. "He can keep up and he won't change his mind. Hiei's very stubborn." Gohan gave him a doubtful look and he smirked. "If he *does* fall behind, you can always grab him." A growl sounded, but he was careful not to glance at Hiei. "You have my permission and he doesn't bite *that* hard."   
  
Blinking wide eyes, Gohan looked at the little fighter, taking in the fact that he looked to be simmering. It was almost as if steam was rising off him. "Right."  
  
"Kurama..."  
  
With another smile, Kurama glanced back. "Hai?" His lover was giving him a very heated look and he could practically see the vein in his forehead throbbing. "Ah! Gomen, Hiei, just teasing." Hiei gave him a sharp nod when he blinked innocent eyes at him. He loved teasing the youkai, but he had to be careful not to go too far or he wouldn't be getting close to him for months. Trunks was watching them with an odd expression and Kurama smiled at the boy. "We're ready."  
  
Following Gohan, Trunks kept his eyes on the dark image below. The black-haired male didn't seem to be running after them so much as jumping, darting streaks of blurred movements. Kurama was watching his face and he blinked at the redhead. "He's so fast."  
  
"Hai," Kurama smirked, his gaze dropping to the flash of black keeping pace with them on the ground. "That's Hiei. He gets faster every time I see him." Black eyes were watching him and he met Gohan's gaze with a quick smile. "You can go faster, if you like." He was aware that the man's speed exceeded Trunks, but the boy wasn't going as fast as he'd been earlier. "There's no need to slow down on Hiei's account."  
  
"Okay," Gohan nodded. With a look to Trunks, he waited until the boy took the lead, matching his speed and letting him set the pace. A quick glance was all he needed to know the one on the ground had no trouble equaling them. He wondered again what the male was. As soon as they reached Bulma's lab, he'd find out.  
  
* * *  
TBC  
--notes--  
There will be more focus on Gohan and Trunks in later parts. Expect a KuramaxHiei lemon and a GohanxTrunks lemon in the future. 


	2. Part 2

Author's Notes: Just in case anyone's wondering, I'll be taking liberties with the plot of 'The History of Trunks' for this fic. You can expect a different ending from the one in the original. ^__^ I doubt a visit from the YYH world would leave the DBZ boys untouched. And I've a penchant for happy endings.  
Category: Anime, Dragonball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, TWT, partial AU  
Warnings: shonen ai, will have lemons  
Pairings: will be KuramaxHiei, GohanxTrunks  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
  
Twist of Fate  
  
Part 2  
  
The voices barely reached her workshop, but Bulma recognized the muffled tenor that accompanied her son. The boys thought they were being clever, but she had noticed Gohan visited more often these days. She paused in her work, pale eyes glancing to the doorway. Either they'd come down and say hello, or they figured she hadn't heard them. She waited for a minute before turning back to the computer, and she would have immersed herself in her continued experiment had a low voice not caught her ear. That was different. Listening more carefully, she realized they hadn't come all the way inside, she could barely hear them. With a flick of her fingers, she set her computer to stand by. Her back cricked when she stood, and Bulma flexed for a second before running a hand over her pale grayish blue hair. Then she headed for the stairs.  
  
The kitchen was empty when she passed through it, and Bulma frowned, listening to the voices coming from the living room. Trunks was standing in the open doorway, looking outside. An unfamiliar voice was saying something, and she tilted her head to the side, moving forward silently to peak over her son's shoulder. Just as she'd thought, Gohan was standing outside, but a strange red-haired person was the one talking. Trunks jumped when she put a hand on his shoulder, and she smirked at him, glancing from his wide pale blue eyes to Gohan's interestingly guilty expression. "Inside or out?" she smirked, raising an eyebrow at Trunks. "You'll let the flies in."  
  
"'Tousan." Trunks turned in the doorway, backing up a step as he took in his mom's glinting eyes. Every time she looked at him like that he just *knew* she was going to ask him what he did all day. He'd never been forbidden not to train, but he was pretty sure he and Gohan would both be in for it if she found out. But that wasn't the issue now. Blinking quickly, he turned to speak to Kurama. The redhaired youth had spent the last four minutes trying to convince his friend to come inside, without much success. He glanced in his direction and nearly flinched when the male in question stepped by him with a polite smile.  
  
The blue-haired woman raised an eyebrow at him when he stepped forward, but Kurama merely smiled at her, taking her hand. "Hello," he said softly, his wide eyes exuding innocence and respectability. It was his absolute *best* perfect student image, and he shook her hand with just the right mixture of brevity and respect. "My name is Kurama. It's a pleasure to meet you. You must be Trunks' mother?"  
  
Bulma blinked for a second, a smile tugging at her lips. "Bulma," she finally said, shooting an amused look at Trunks' startled expression. "And I am his mother. I take it you're a friend of his?"  
  
"He survived an attack," Gohan said suddenly, moving forward so the woman's eyes focused on him. "We haven't had a chance to talk yet, but they aren't human. I thought we could talk here, if you don't mind."  
  
"They're not--" Bulma's mouth snapped shut abruptly and she stared at Gohan for a second before turning sharply and leaning to the side so she could see around Kurama. Sure enough, there was another one standing outside. Hiei was glaring off to the side of the house, arms folded over his chest, and Bulma did a double-take. The hair, the scowl, the stance, if it hadn't been for the black cloak she might have spent more than four seconds wondering who else Vegeta had a kid by. As it was, her eyes lit up and she turned a bright smile on Gohan. "Well, get them in here and tell me what's going on."  
  
Trunks let out a soft sigh and Gohan relaxed a little, glancing at Kurama. He could tell Bulma was hooked on the mystery of the two strangers, but that didn't solve their current issue. "Well?"  
  
"Kurama."  
  
Blinking, Kurama glanced back at Hiei. The youkai didn't look at him and he sighed, shaking his head at Gohan. "Give me a minute or two, would you?"  
  
"Sure," Gohan nodded quickly. The green-eyed male gave him a slight smile before moving back to Hiei. Bulma and Trunks both looked at him and Gohan, shrugged. "I guess he really doesn't want to come in."  
  
"Give them a minute," Bulma prodded, turning back into the living room. Trunks followed her and she glanced back at Gohan. The young man straightened and moved away from the door, leaning against the wall opposite the couch. Settling herself on the love seat, Bulma tilted her head and looked from Gohan to Trunks. "So, you met them at an attack, did you?" Trunks' pale blue eyes widened and fell to stare at the floor, and Bulma's eyes glittered, darting to Gohan.  
  
"We weren't there during the attack," Gohan said quickly, not daring to look at Trunks. "Trunks flew over after the androids had already left."  
  
"Oh?" Bulma encouraged, her expression seemingly innocent. "Then you weren't together?" The black-haired saiyan managed to look surprised and she had to give him credit. He really did seem to think they were fooling from her. But that just showed how young they were. She already knew he was training her son, the only thing left was whether that was all he was doing with him. Somehow, she didn't think Gohan could get away without blushing if they were doing more than merely training together.   
  
"No," Gohan said, glancing to Trunks. The boy's wide eyes were glued on Bulma, and he could practically see the worry along his brow. "Trunks passed over the city not long after the attack and found Kurama. I came by a little after him."  
  
"And the other one," Bulma nodded. He relaxed when she stopped drilling him and she flashed a smile. "He looks stubborn."  
  
Gohan sighed, a slight smile curving his own lips. "He does look a little like him, doesn't he. I found him after I met Trunks and Kurama. The androids were attacking him." His smile faded and he frowned toward the open doorway. "What really reminds me of Vegeta is that he tried to attack *me* for interfering."  
  
Trunks was staring at Gohan and Bulma stood, catching the boy's attention. "I'll make some tea for our visitors."  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei had a habit of being stubborn, but Kurama knew there was something wrong when the youkai didn't look at him. It wasn't until he stepped in front of the smaller demon and leaned down that the red eyes flicked to his. Tilting his head, Kurama smiled. "Hiei, what's wrong?" His friend and lover stared at him for a second before scowling sharply and Kurama blinked in surprise.  
  
"You haven't noticed." Hiei frowned, looking around him in irritation. He should have known better. Kurama liked to irritate him, but it wasn't like the kitsune to push him into actual anger.   
  
"Noticed what?" Kurama asked. "I know we're not in the Ningenkai *I* knew, not if there are androids and beings like Trunks and Gohan. I'm sure Koenma would have heard something if ningens were being killed like the ones in that city back there. They're the ones we need to talk to, so why don't you want to go inside?" His friend was scowling at the ground and Kurama sighed, folding his own arms. "If you don't tell me, I won't know."  
  
"I thought you felt it when you were youko," Hiei muttered. "There are no portals." Green eyes widened and Hiei nodded sharply. "I can't sense a single one. But it's more than that, Kurama, I can't sense the barrier *or* the Reikai." The fox was staring at him now in growing panic and Hiei's voice lowered, his own worry taking the form of anger. "And there is no Makai."  
  
"But that just isn't possible," Kurama whispered, his arms falling to his sides as he looked around them. They'd passed enough neglected ruins to know the damage had been done some time in the past, but even a time shift wouldn't eliminate the other realms. Staring at Hiei's cold eyes, Kurama shook his head. "I knew this place wasn't familiar but I haven't been in half the Ningenkai." Hiei didn't say anything and the silence wrapped around them for a long moment before Kurama straightened suddenly. "All right. Then we didn't just fall into the Ningenkai. It must have been a portal to a completely different realm."  
  
"A realm no one knows about?" Hiei asked, raising an eyebrow in skepticism. "That's unlikely."  
  
"Oh, doubt it all you want," Kurama sniffed. "What's more likely, that the other two realms disappeared?" The black-haired demon rolled his eyes and Kurama tugged on Hiei's white scarf, pointing toward the open doorway. "Let's go find out what we can. If there aren't any portals to the Makai, then we can't exactly get back on our own, right?" Hiei scowled at him and he shrugged, pulling lightly as he sidled toward the door. "You don't have to be sociable or anything. Just let me do all the talking."  
  
"You would anyway," Hiei snorted. "What was that greeting you gave the female?" Green eyes snapped to him and he raised an eyebrow when Kurama actually blushed a bit. "Really..."  
  
"Get your mind out of the gutter," Kurama frowned, shaking his head so his warm cheeks cooled. "I was just trying to be polite."  
  
"You should have turned youko," Hiei commented, his eyes sparking as he moved to flank Kurama. "You could have made a better impression."  
  
"For your information, the look she gave you was much more suggestive." Red eyes blinked at him and Kurama smirked. "Once she caught sight of you I was afraid I'd have to intervene."  
  
Hiei frowned for a second before snorting softly. He wasn't going to fall for it. Kurama flirted with nearly everything that breathed, that was just the way the kitsune was. "Pet her hand all you want," he said, stopping the redhead just outside the door and lowering his voice. His eyes glinted when Kurama blinked at him, and he reached a hand up, curling it around one long red forelock. "But if you cuddle up to that *one* again, you won't get a chance to ask your questions."  
  
"You're *jealous*," Kurama breathed, green eyes wide and bright as he smiled at the little youkai. A strong hand jerked down on his hair and he winced, his head pulled to the side. "Ow!"  
  
"Baka." With a dark frown for the kitsune's former excitement, Hiei let go of that silky red hair and folded his arms again. "Go be sociable."  
  
Tossing the abused forelock of hair off his shoulder, Kurama shot a knowing look at Hiei. "I plan to. But you should definitely go with me. I might accidentally *cuddle* someone in my eagerness to get answers." That comment earned him a glare and he turned quickly, entering the odd dome house and smiling when he found the two males seated on the couch. Trunks looked past him and he glanced over his shoulder to Hiei. The demon had entered and was standing near the open door. "Why don't you shut that," he smiled, "we wouldn't want to let flies in."  
  
"Ch'." Hiei shut the door and resumed his position, his glare seeking out the dark-haired male without fail. Gohan frowned back at him and he folded his arms over his chest. Movement caught his attention and he looked to the doorway on the right, the blue-haired woman smiling at him before glancing at the others.  
  
Bulma's smile widened when Gohan and Trunks stood, and she barely kept from laughing at them. They really were naïve to think she wouldn't notice where they'd been sitting. She hadn't heard anything from the kitchen, but they'd been on opposite sides of the room when she left, and ensconced on the couch when she returned. She'd have to be oblivious not to suspect something. But now wasn't the time to torment the two youths. Her gaze returned to the scowling black-haired male near the door and she waved a hand toward the kitchen. "Tea's ready. Everybody in the kitchen so we can talk."  
  
The kitchen looked about the same as any Kurama had seen, though the fifth chair didn't match the others. Taking a chair near the wall, the red-haired teen watched the others enter after him. He was surprised when Hiei actually sat in the chair next to him. Usually the jaganshi stood as far as possible from gatherings, and that was when he was with friends. But his friend didn't look at him when he glanced over, so he didn't say anything. Gohan took the chair next to him, and Kurama noted that Trunks took the opposite one, leaving that odd seat open for Bulma.  
  
She'd drug her own chair up from the basement, and Bulma sat in it, shifting to make herself comfortable. For a long moment the four males looked at her, as if waiting for something, then Kurama stood again. The green-eyed teen didn't say anything, but her lips twitched when he took the tea kettle and poured each of them a cup. From the easy way he moved, she could tell he'd done that before, and she had an idea he wasn't just being polite to make a good impression. There seemed to be a mature grace behind the boy's innocent and respectful expression. Once he'd sat down again, she smiled and picked up her cup. "Well, Kurama, why don't you tell us about yourself." The redhead blinked at her and her smile widened. "Gohan said you weren't human?"  
  
"Actually, I am, and I'm not." Kurama glanced around the table, pausing briefly to frown at Hiei's smirk before letting his gaze stop on the woman again. "I have two forms," he said slowly, "this one, and my natural form. But before I go into that, I should tell you that we come from a different world than this one. In our world, the earth has three realms, the Ningenkai, the Reikai, and the Makai. The Ningenkai is, of course, the human world." Bulma's eyes were oddly bright, but she nodded quickly and Kurama continued. "The Reikai is the spirit world, where the spirits of the dead go to be sent onward after death. The spirit world also protects the Ningenkai, mostly from youkai."  
  
"And you're a youkai," Trunks said, remembering what the silver-haired Kurama had said earlier. "A youkai, from the..."  
  
"Makai," Kurama nodded. "Yes, Hiei and I are both youkai."  
  
"What's a youkai?" Bulma asked. Kurama had said the word as if they would recognize it, but it didn't sound familiar.  
  
Snorting at the fox, Hiei sent him a mocking look. "They don't have a Makai."  
  
Kurama's lips pursed but he didn't react. "Youkai are demons. There are many species of youkai, some humanoid, others resembling animals from the Ningenkai, and still others that don't look like anything you would recognize. Youkai live in the third realm, the Makai, and they're separated from the human world by a barrier the Reikai put up. When I came here, it was through a thin area in that barrier, a rift, if you will." He couldn't help but notice how Bulma was frowning at him and he sighed. "I'm confusing you."  
  
"No," Bulma frowned, "you just don't look like a demon." The little black-haired male scowled at her and she stared for a second before smirking suddenly. He could glare all he wanted, but he *still* didn't look like a demon. "I thought demons were evil spirits kept in Hell. That's Christian lore."  
  
"Yes," Kurama nodded, "many ningens practice that religion in our world. But youkai are living creatures, just like humans. When we die, our spirits go on just the same. And that's why I'm both human and youkai. I told Trunks that I was from the Makai originally. That's because I was born a youkai. I died once, and my spirit managed to escape into the human world and fuse with a ningen baby. Now I spend most of my time in the Ningenkai, with my human family, and only shift to youko aspect when I go to the Makai."  
  
"So, if you die you can just go into someone's body and keep living?" The idea was disconcerting, and Bulma shook her head. "Can all youkai do that?"  
  
"No. It was very unusual. And I could only go into the body I ended merging with, a fetus still in my mother's womb. I believe there was something wrong with the baby that made it compatible with me." Something rattled on the table, and Kurama paused when Hiei frowned and pushed his empty cup to him. He could tell from the youkai's expression that he was bored. Filling the cup again, he shrugged. "I travel frequently between my ningen family, and the Makai. It was a rift in the Makai that we fell through to get here."  
  
"You fell."  
  
Kurama's eye twitched and he sent a slow look at Hiei. "Yes, *I* fell. In fact," he glanced at Trunks, "I landed on that building only a few seconds before it fell. I was so startled I didn't even realize the city was being attacked until you told me. I apologize."  
  
Trunks blinked in surprise. "Why would you apologize?"  
  
"For acting like a victim," Kurama explained, "instead of helping those people." The lavender-haired boy's eyes fell to the table, and he looked at Gohan. "That city was fully populated, wasn't it." The other young man gave a solemn nod. "I take it that wasn't the first attack, either. These androids you talked about, they have to be the ones who caused the tear between our worlds. We'll need to seek them out if we're going to get back. They're your enemies, but now they're ours as well."  
  
"What difference is there between a ningen and an android?" Hiei frowned, his expression suspicious. He'd sensed the two they were talking about. Whether they were 'androids' or not, they were definitely human. The sheer amount of reiki was disgustingly obvious.  
  
"Actually," Kurama admitted, looking at the two males, and then Bulma. "I'm not sure what these 'androids' are. I assume they're humans who've been created out of technology, some sort of robots?"  
  
"They aren't human at all," Gohan said. "They hate humans. That's one of the reasons they've been killing people since they were created. They take *pleasure* in people's fear and pain. It's been years since they first started, and they've managed to wipe out most of the larger cities. The people have been in hiding since then."  
  
Watching the black-haired male's dark eyes, Kurama leaned forward. "The Ningenkai in our world was large, with many continents and countries. Have these androids attacked all over, or just in this area?"  
  
"They've attacked cities all over the earth," Bulma glared. "They couldn't *content* themselves with just one area."  
  
"But they *do* spend more time here than anywhere else," Trunks put in, his pale blue eyes seeking out Kurama. "We think they've a base somewhere around here, a place they go back to in between attacks."  
  
Hiei's eyes snapped to the boy, his glare making Trunks blink in surprise. "You haven't looked?"  
  
His mouth opened at the insulting tone of voice, but Trunks closed it again, not quite looking at his mother. "No."  
  
"The androids are far too strong for that," Gohan spoke up. He knew how much not being able to fight bothered Trunks, and he wasn't about to let some stranger come in and make the boy feel worse. "They are stronger than anything this earth has ever known."  
  
"But you aren't just human," Kurama said, his eyes glinting at Gohan. If Hiei had been set to use his kokoryuuha on the black-haired male, then Gohan wasn't exactly weak himself. "Where do you stand in comparison with the androids?"  
  
"I'm half human. I can hold a fight with one of the androids, but against both there's no contest." Gohan admitted.  
  
"He and Trunks are saiyans," Bulma said, her back straightening as Kurama glanced to her. "Their fathers came from a planet in a different galaxy." Wide green eyes met her and she smiled, shaking her head. "I noticed you didn't mention other planets when you talked about your world."  
  
"No," Kurama said softly. "The Reikai has had contact with one group beyond earth, but they originated in the Makai and were sealed in space. I've never heard of any intelligent life *originating* beyond the three realms of earth."  
  
"Then you've missed a lot," Bulma smiled. "We've had visitors from dozens of planets, long before the androids showed up. Saiyans were among the strongest." Her smile turned wistful as she looked at the two half-saiyans. "But Trunks and Gohan are the last."  
  
"I see." Kurama thought silently for a minute, then glanced at Hiei. "You fought the androids, where do they rank?" The dark youkai frowned at the table and shrugged.  
  
"S level, by ningen standards."  
  
"I don't know if we'd be able to take them," Kurama admitted, looking at Gohan, "but you said you could hold your own against one of them. If Hiei and I take the other, would you be willing to look for their base?" Dark eyes frowned at him and he shrugged. "We can go on our own, if you think it would be too dangerous for you. These androids have to be the ones who opened the way to our world. There's no sense of a way back, so we *have* to find them in order to get home again."  
  
"How would the androids know about your world?" Trunks frowned, glancing from Kurama to Gohan. "If they had a way of opening portals to other worlds, they would have done it sooner, wouldn't they?"  
  
"Yes," Gohan said sharply, "there aren't enough humans here to keep them occupied indefinitely. Chances are they *didn't* make a tear on purpose."  
  
"But it happened during an attack," Bulma interrupted, "if it was an accident, what was different this time from all their other attacks?"  
  
Shaking his head, Gohan glared at the table. "Nothing. There was nothing different about that city, or the way they destroyed it. It was just another city, buildings, a few factories, and the residential area. Their attack was actually less than usual. If I hadn't been near there, I wouldn't have known they'd attacked until the news report."  
  
This caught Kurama's attention, and he turned to look at the black-haired half-saiyan. "You can't sense them?"  
  
"The androids don't give off life energy the way we do," Gohan frowned, "so it's difficult to find them. But at least they can't sense us, either."  
  
"You don't feel their reiki?" Kurama glanced at Trunks, taking in the younger boy's narrowed eyes. "That's what we call the spirit energy humans use. When they were fighting Hiei, earlier, I sensed their reiki. That's how I knew they were human. You and Trunks also have a large amount of reiki, but it's mixed with something I'm not familiar with." The two males frowned at him and his brows drew together. "That must come from your saiyan side."  
  
"You can sense the androids?" Gohan's hands curled into slow fists and he had to concentrate not to get too excited. "How?"  
  
"I can't explain it," Kurama sighed. "In my youko form I've more spirit energy of my own, and that allows me to sense the energy of others. It's a common phenomenon in our world. Unless a person is suppressing his energy, he can be found rather easily."  
  
Hiei closed his eyes for a second, not bothering to lift the band off his jagan. "They're suppressing it now." His red gaze snapped to Gohan and he scowled at the surprised male. "Like you did before."  
  
"What?" The dark-haired youkai really seemed to have some sort of grudge against him, and Gohan couldn't help but be irritated by it. That wasn't any way to thank him for saving his life earlier. But he had an idea 'thanks' was the last thing he'd get from the angry male.   
  
"Yes," Kurama said, his eyes widening a bit as he, too, turned to look at Gohan. "You increased your reiki considerably, earlier, when your hair changed color. I could feel the increase in that other energy as well. And then you seemed to simply...turn it off. It was impressive how quickly you blocked that energy."  
  
"Blocked it?" Gohan blinked for a second before catching Trunks' small smile and he scowled a bit. "I didn't block it, I just descended. It takes a lot of strength to stay at that level, and there was no point doing it then. Besides, even if the androids can't sense us-"  
  
"And we don't *know* that they can't," Bulma put in.  
  
"-there's no reason to take risks," Gohan finished.  
  
With a proud tone, Trunks nodded, looking at Kurama. "He was a super-saiyan."  
  
"Then that's part of your saiyan blood?" Kurama asked, not missing the way the lavender-haired boy's expression fell when he nodded. "And that increase is what lets you match the androids?"  
  
"One of them," Gohan said. "But any time I start to get the upper hand they team up on me."  
  
"It sounds like you need a partner," Kurama commented.  
  
That soft comment cut to the quick, and Trunks hid his fisted hands beneath the table. He was supposed to be Gohan's partner. He was the only other saiyan, it was his *right* to help kill the androids. But he wasn't ready. No matter how much Gohan trained him, he just couldn't seem to improve enough. And if the two youkai were half as strong as Kurama made it sound, he wouldn't be needed. His jaw hurt for a second before he managed to clear his face. The green-eyed youth was giving Gohan a small smile that made him want to challenge Kurama right now. And it was a ridiculous urge. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen Kurama kiss Hiei, not more than an hour ago. "You must be strong," he said, forcing a slight smile.  
  
Pale blue eyes were looking at him with a mixture of pain and anger, and it took a full three seconds before Kurama understood his mistake. Leaning back, he sighed. "Well, Hiei and I make quite a pair of fighters. I like to think we compliment each other nicely." A hot glare was now burning into the side of his neck, but Trunks' smile looked less forced and Kurama smirked at him. "I'm sure if we team up with the 'saiyans,' your androids won't know what hit them."  
  
"Oh, no," Bulma murmured, her eyes glinting. "Trunks doesn't fight, just Gohan. My son has never been trained, and he's far too young to be fighting." Both half-saiyans dropped their eyes, and she nearly smirked at the light flush that covered Trunks' cheeks. Kurama blinked at her in surprise and she smiled, giving him an innocent look that rivaled the one the teen had given her earlier. "The androids haven't been attacking too frequently lately, so you'll probably have a few days before they surface again. You're more than welcome to stay here until then. I usually stay down in my lab, but I'm sure Trunks would enjoy the company." Her son didn't look up, but she noted the way Kurama looked from one saiyan to the other. He was obviously a quick one. "How old are you, Kurama?"  
  
"Eh?" That was a change in subject if he'd ever heard one, and Kurama relaxed, his tone easy. "I've lived in the Ningenkai for about nineteen years now. Of course, I was considerably older before I was reborn in human form. I never paid much attention to age when I was in the Makai, but I'd estimate I'm a few hundred years old." The two saiyans looked up in surprise. "Youkai age much slower than humans."  
  
"Saiyans do, too," Bulma said, her expression doubtful, "but not *that* much slower." Her gaze flicked to Hiei and she noted that he was leaning on the table, staring into his teacup with a very bored expression. "And you." Red eyes snapped up to her and she couldn't help but smile when he immediately scowled.  
  
"Who cares?"  
  
A quick smile tugged Kurama's lips and he looked fondly at the black-haired youkai. "He won't say. I think he's about half my age. Hiei's just jaded, that's all." His friend gave a snort and resumed staring into the teacup, one finger tapping the edge of it. "But we'd be honored to stay with you," he told Bulma, "just until we can get back to our own world."  
  
"Well, then," Bulma smiled, "that's settled. I think I'll get back to work for a while. Trunks? Why don't you get them settled." Her son nodded quickly and she stood, stretching to get the kinks out of her back. It seemed that all she did anymore was sit. "I'll make some dinner in a few hours. Will you be joining us, Gohan?"  
  
"Actually," Gohan said slowly, being careful not to look at anyone but Bulma. "I was wondering if I could stay here myself. The androids have seen Hiei, and I wouldn't put it past them to go looking for him. I'd rather stay close, just in case."  
  
"Now that's a good idea," Bulma said brightly, "I should have thought of it myself. Just make sure to give your mother a call so she won't worry." The young man gave her a quick nod and she turned toward the stairs, pausing in the doorway. "You know," she said slowly, blinking in innocence as she glanced back at Gohan. "I don't think you've stayed here since Trunks was eight. Why, it'll be just like old times." The tall half-saiyan gave her a somehow pained smile and she shrugged. "I'll call you when dinner's ready. Kurama, Hiei, it's nice to have you here."  
  
"Thank you," Kurama said politely. The blue-haired woman smiled again and he waited until she disappeared down the stairs before turning curious eyes on Trunks. The lavender-haired boy was staring at his feet and Kurama stepped to him, pausing alongside the boy. "I don't think you're fooling her," he commented, not looking to the side when wide eyes flew to him.  
  
"What-"  
  
"Would you show us around," Kurama continued, his voice rising to a normal level. "I've never been inside a dome house before."  
  
"Of course..." Exchanging a long look with Gohan, Trunks led them back into the living room. The tour wouldn't last very long, but he thought it was probably a good idea to wait until they were out of hearing range before asking what the redhead had meant by that soft comment.  
  
* * *  
TBC 


	3. Part 3

Author's Note: Be forewarned that this fic will contain lemons for both pairings.  
Category: Anime, Dragonball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, TWT  
Warnings: shonen ai, possible humor  
Pairings: KuramaxHiei, will be GohanxTrunks  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
  
Twist of Fate  
  
Part 3  
  
The guestroom hadn't been used in forever, and Trunks flushed a little, watching Kurama finger the old blanket. "We let a lot of people stay here when this city was attacked, but they all left soon after that. No one really comes around here now, so...I guess I never really thought about keeping the rooms ready or anything."  
  
"Don't worry," Kurama smiled, jerking the blanket off the bed. The rest of the room was fine, it wasn't dirty at all. Only the cloth had been lying for what he thought must have been three years at least. "We would be horrible guests if we complained about the accommodations." The lavender-haired youth didn't look so sure of that, but Kurama's smile seemed to put him a little more at ease. Wadding up the musty cloth, Kurama glanced around at the doors set into the wall. He though it was probably a closet, nothing they'd need to get into, but his eyes were caught on an odd little square panel in the wall. Hiei was standing near the small window in the room, and Kurama brushed by him, shooting a quick look at his quiet lover. He was rewarded with a rolling of red eyes, nothing more. Trunks was watching him from the doorway. "What's this?"  
  
"Oh." Blinking, Trunks gave a quick nod. "That's the laundry shoot. If you put the blankets in there, I'll wash them for tonight." His nose tried to wrinkle at the thought of doing the laundry, but he wasn't about to complain. It wasn't that he didn't want to do his share of the work, but the washing machine was in the basement, far too close to Bulma's readily rigged laboratory. The prospect of going down there and interrupting her wasn't pretty. Kurama had dropped the blanket into the shoot, and Trunks remembered the redhead's soft words earlier. A quick glance found Gohan leaning against the outside of the doorway. His friend was frowning thoughtfully at the floor. "What's wrong?"  
  
Trunks' pale eyes were filled with wary concern, and Gohan sighed. "I think she knows," he admitted, folding his arms over his chest. "I don't know how she knows, but she definitely acts like she does."  
  
"I thought as much," Kurama commented, smiling as he peaked around the doorframe at Gohan. "You two aren't very good at hiding. I was wondering if you really thought she didn't know about you." The younger boy frowned at him, making Kurama's smile widen a bit. "Your mother's a very smart woman."  
  
"She's a scientist," Trunks said, still frowning at the taller youth. His gaze shifted to Gohan, and he shook his head. "She can't know. She'd never have agreed to let you stay here if she knew."  
  
Glancing between the two, Kurama sighed at their matching frowns. "It sounded to me like she was testing you. But she could have been giving her support."  
  
"No way," Trunks said, his eyes wide. "She'd *never* support me fighting the androids. She keeps saying I'm too young. If she knew Gohan was training me, she'd never let me near him." Sniffing as he folded his arms, he scowled. "She'd probably ground me or something."  
  
Gohan shrugged, catching Trunks' eyes. "Maybe she isn't mad because you're *not* fighting the androids yet. Training isn't the same as fighting. Besides that, she has to realize it's safer if you get trained."  
  
"But she said flat out that I *hadn't* been trained." Remembering the way his mother's eyes had sparkled when she said that, Trunks gave a frustrated sigh. "Then again, she did have that 'look' when she said it. I don't know *what* to think. If she knows, then we won't have to sneak around, not if she knows and hasn't forbidden it. But if she's just trying to get us to admit that you're training me..."   
  
The boy groaned, rubbing a hand through his pale hair, and Gohan's lips tugged into a smile. Shaking his head, he threw an arm over Trunks shoulders with a light squeeze. "Don't get all bent out of shape over it. My mom was a lot worse than yours when it came to fighting. It took *years* before she finally stopped pulling guilt trips on me."  
  
Sending a pained frown up at his friend, Trunks shook his head. "I don't want to *wait* years for her to let me fight. I'm ready now." A slow smirk caught his eye, and Trunks blinked, heat rising to his face. "I mean..."  
  
"I know what you mean," Gohan smiled, "you're all fired up. But you're not quite ready to go rushing out after the androids. Your mom and I at least agree on that point. Just focus on getting stronger and don't worry about her. If she's not going to come out and say anything, then neither will we."  
  
Normally Trunks would have agreed with that bid for patience, but a glance at Kurama's interested expression had him frowning. He folded his arms and pulled away from Gohan, turning to stare at him. "I probably won't need to get stronger," he said slowly, putting on a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You three can take out the androids without me."  
  
A pout would have been preferable to that faked smile, but Gohan knew Trunks was trying to hide his feelings. His lips curved into a fond smile and he darted forward. Kurama jerked aside, but he didn't even glance at the redhead. With an arm over Trunks shoulders, he caught the boy and mussed up all of that silky lavender hair. "Baka Trunks," he muttered, ignoring his friend's furious attempts to get free. "Baka."  
  
"Stop that!" With a muffled wail, Trunks managed to duck out of the hold. His hair was standing in odd little ruffs, and he glared when Gohan stifled a snicker. "Jeeze, Gohan, do you have to do stuff like that? You make me feel like I'm six or something." The older half-saiyan grinned at him, and Trunks batted away the hand that moved to smooth down his hair. Doing it himself, he tried to regain his dignity.  
  
"No," Gohan smirked, patting Trunks' head and receiving a swat for his efforts, "you're not six. But you're still just as cute as ever." Pale blue eyes glared daggers at him, and he sighed, his smirk easing into a smile. "No one's going to cut you out of this," he said, his voice solemn. "Just because you're not ready to fight doesn't mean you can't help."  
  
"Sure," Trunks muttered, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "I can be the cheering section." An odd look passed over Gohan's face, and Trunks' eyes narrowed when the older saiyan stared at him. "What?"  
  
With a forced laugh, Gohan shook his head. "Nothing. I was just thinking of those cheerleaders we saw on television. You know, the ones with the little purple and white outfits?" A dark flush flew to the boy's face, and Gohan threw up his hands when Trunks immediately raised his fists in embarrassed fury. "I just thought you'd look cute with pompoms! No offense!"  
  
Choking for a second, Trunks managed to hold himself back, his face flaming hot. "B-baka! You're more of a an idiot than *me*!"  
  
Out of sympathy for Trunks, Kurama hid his smile behind his hand. He hadn't planned to comment on that little statement, but he caught movement to his right. Finding Hiei beside him, he raised his eyebrows at the youkai's frown.  
  
"What are pompoms?"  
  
Gohan let out another muffled laugh when Trunks glared at him, but Kurama was happy to explain. "Cheerleaders are people who stand back and cheer for players in human games. Rather like Keiko, Botan and the others during the tournament. They're usually girls, and they tend to wear rather skimpy little skirts to show their legs. Pompoms are bushy things they hold, with streamers, and they shake them as they cheer." Kurama motioned with his hands, his green eyes sparkling merrily when Hiei's eyes widened. The black-haired youkai turned to stare at Trunks, Hiei's expression settling into a frown.  
  
The boy's face was quite red, obviously angry, and Hiei looked him over. Only humans would want to dress men up in women's clothing. His red eyes switched to Gohan and he gave the half-saiyan a derogatory snort. "Baka."  
  
Trunks laughed, losing most of his embarrassment as it was transferred to his friend. He smirked when Gohan flushed, the tall youth blinking surprised eyes at Hiei. Kurama winked at him, but Trunks wasn't sure exactly what that meant, so he simply shrugged. "I'll show you guys to the other rooms." Moving past Gohan, he waved a hand at the doors further down the hall. "Those are guest rooms, too, at least, they used to be. The bath is at the end of the hall." He paused as Kurama peaked into the door next to the room they'd come out of.  
  
Both bedrooms looked the same, and Kurama frowned, his gaze shifting to Gohan. "Which room will you be using?" he asked, his voice mildly curious. Trunks hadn't shown them *his* room, and while he wasn't going to pry, he was curious where the boy would place his older friend. From what he'd just seen, Kurama had an idea the two weren't as close as Trunks' mother obviously thought. The only thing they seemed to be hiding was the 'training' they'd mentioned. Of course, Trunks did appear to be a little young for that sort of relationship, but it was hard to tell these days. He had to add in the fact that they weren't fully human. The black-haired saiyan blinked and looked to Trunks.  
  
Frowning a bit, Gohan shrugged. "It doesn't really matter to me. There are plenty of rooms here."  
  
"The reason I ask," Kurama said slowly, moving a step back so he was closer to Hiei, "is because of proximity." He was aware of a glare snapping to his back, and he smiled at the two saiyans. "I'm hoping we won't be a burden to you for long, but it would be easier if we were honest with you." Trunks' eyes shifted past him, and Kurama noted the way the boy flushed lightly.  
  
"You two want to share a room," Trunks said, his voice soft. He almost expected a denial, and he couldn't help be surprised by Kurama's calm nod. He'd never heard of people being *that* open about something like that.  
  
Keeping an eye on both saiyans, Kurama was careful not to show his suspicions. He was fairly certain the two males were destined to end in a relationship similar to his own, but so far they didn't seem to have taken any steps. He didn't want to shock them, but he and Hiei had gone past the irritation of pretending. They weren't about to go back to hiding their status now. "If that will be a problem, we can stay somewhere else."  
  
"No," Trunks blurted, blinking quickly. "It isn't a problem. I don't know what mom would say, but we don't have to mention it to her or anything."  
  
"I don't plan to hide it from her," Kurama smiled, taking in the boy's discomfort. "I just wanted to make sure neither of you would be upset. My experience with humans has found them to be a very...mixed crowd. It's easier to be blunt." Glancing past the short boy, Kurama raised an eyebrow at Gohan, noting where those dark eyes were focused. If he'd been a youko, he wouldn't have been able to resist interfering. He had a nearly irresistible urge to take the taller saiyan aside and tell him that, 'yes, the boy is fine with the idea of two guys being together, and yes, this is a chance to find out why.' But Kurama had never played matchmaker, and he doubted it was his place to do so now. Instead, he turned to smug smile at Hiei. "It looks like our little rendezvous is in the Ningenkai, after all."  
  
Without giving the fox a rejoinder to that taunt, Hiei merely rolled his eyes. He was getting more than a little impatient with this entire 'tour.' Folding his arms, he frowned at the young lavender haired boy. "Are you finished?" Trunks blinked at him in visible confusion, and Hiei scowled at Kurama. The kitsune didn't seem to get his hint. With a pointed glare, Hiei grabbed one of Kurama's convenient forelocks and jerked the redhead down so they were at eyelevel. "Outside, now."  
  
Kurama had time to blink twice before he was released and abruptly alone in the hall with Gohan and Trunks. He barely heard the front door shut behind the quick shadow. The two saiyans were staring around the hall in evident surprise. Straightening, Kurama ran his hand through that over-abused length of hair and shrugged helplessly. "Usually he'd take a window, but that was probably faster. I'll be back."  
  
Trunks nodded, not speaking as the redhead left the hall. He wasn't sure what to say once he found himself alone with his friend, but he settled on a bland comment. "He is pretty fast, isn't he."  
  
"I didn't see him move," Gohan muttered, blinking dazed eyes. "I can't believe that. How did the androids knock him down if *I* can't follow his movements?"  
  
"Maybe he didn't move that fast with them," Trunks offered. Mimicking Kurama's shrug, he gave a vague smile. "You think he was mad that Kurama just told us outright like that?"  
  
"I don't know." Throwing the younger saiyan a quick smile, Gohan turned back to the remaining rooms. He was careful to step past the door alongside the one Kurama had chosen. "So, which of these is the most livable?"  
  
"I haven't been in any of them in so long I don't know," Trunks admitted. "The only time I go in these is when mom wants something from one of the closets."  
  
Following the boy, Gohan sighed. "I still remember when all these rooms were filled with robots and stuff. My dad used to come by here for all sorts of gadgets."  
  
"I know," Trunks smiled, stopping by the door next to his own. "Mom still has a few of his old outfits. She had me carry them up a few weeks ago." The room wasn't as clean as the others, but Trunks stepped over the boxes lining the wall. With bright eyes, he waited until Gohan reached him, then opened the closet. It only took a moment to find the shelf behind the line of clothes, and he grinned, holding his hand out. "Do you know what this is?"  
  
"That's..." Eyes wide, Gohan picked up the little gadget, a tingle lighting his nerves. "I haven't seen this in so long," he whispered, his tone almost reverent. "Why would she keep it?"  
  
Trunks shrugged, leaning against the open closet door. "She always liked your dad. She says it reminds her of how they met, looking for dragon balls together. There's no use for it now, but she didn't want to throw it away."  
  
"That sounds like Bulma," Gohan smiled, looking at the little hand-held dragonball detector.   
  
"I bet she'd let you have it, if you want," Trunks offered. "Better than it just sitting in storage."  
  
"Is that what this room is?" The gadget fit fine in his pocket, and Gohan reminded himself to check with Bulma later, just in case she wanted to hold onto it. In the meantime, he leafed through the closet, looking at the different outfits there. Something blue caught his eye and he grinned suddenly, grabbing a heavy uniform out. "Hey! I can't *believe* she kept this." With a big grin, he held the suit up to Trunks. "Guess she figured you still have a while before you fit it."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Trunks frowned. He had a feeling he should be insulted by the comment, and he didn't know what the blue outfit was.  
  
"It's a training uniform," Gohan smiled. "Bulma offered to make me one a few years ago, but I like the ones my dad wore." Lifting the suit and advancing when Trunks took a step back, he smirked. "I'd bet anything this is the same outfit Vegeta used to wear."  
  
Pausing his slow retreat, Trunks frowned and held still as his friend moved the suit to his shoulders. "If he wore it, then it definitely won't fit me," he muttered, scowling down at the thing. There weren't any pictures of his father, but his mom had told him the man had been at least a few inches taller than him. And as much as Gohan had 'filled out' in the last few years, Trunks knew he had a ways to go before he'd be considered an 'adult' saiyan. He didn't even want to think of how ridiculous he'd look in a baggy training suit.  
  
"Not necessarily," Gohan said, his eyes locked on the outfit. With rapid movements, he removed the plastic and felt the material. It wasn't rubber, and it wasn't cloth. Whether it was the original outfit or not, he knew the material wasn't something they'd made on earth. At best, it was a replica Bulma had created to replace the many suits Vegeta had gone through in his relentless pursuit of more strength. Glancing at Trunks, Gohan shook his head at the difference between the memory, and the son in front of him. The two were too dissimilar for comparison. "Why don't you try it out?" Trunks began shaking his head before the words were all the way out, and Gohan smirked. "Just think, if it fits you won't have to worry about hiding tears and burns from your mom when we train."  
  
"If you guys get rid of the androids we won't *have* to train anymore," Trunks muttered, still frowning at the suit. He blinked when a hand fell on his shoulder.  
  
It didn't take much to move the boy back to the bed, and Gohan pressed him down to sit on it, tossing the outfit beside him. With a sigh, he leaned over his friend, hands squeezing Trunks' shoulders. "Even if there isn't a threat, that doesn't mean I'm going to bail out on you," he said, nodding sharply when Trunks looked doubtful. "I said I'd train you, and I plan to. As long as you're willing and I'm able, I'm not going to stop until you can beat me." He grinned when a pale eyebrow was raised at him. "Haven't I said you've the potential to beat me? Just think, I didn't reach super saiyan until a year ago. As hard as you're working, I *know* you'll get there a lot sooner. There's no way I'd abandon my protégée when we're just getting started."  
  
Trunks gave a slight smile at that, and he leaned forward when the older saiyan sat down beside him. "I'll never get stronger than you," he said, ignoring his friend's frown. "Besides that, once the androids are gone, things will be normal again. I don't know what that means, but mom keeps saying things will go back to normal someday. I doubt you'll have much time to train me when your mom gets you to studying again."  
  
"Don't even mention that," Gohan groaned, rubbing his head. "She'll probably make me go over everything I've missed since I was *ten*. She always wanted me to be a 'scholar' instead of a fighter." He glanced up when Trunks gave a small laugh, and he relaxed. Letting out a sigh, he fell back on the bed. "Normal. It's hard to imagine things being 'normal.' It's been so long, I don't think even *I* remember what it's like to live a normal life. I mean, there was always something happening. Don't stress out about the future, Trunks. Even without the androids, you can bet we'll end up getting into some sort of mess eventually. And when it happens, the 'Z fighters' will be out there to protect the earth." Trunks had turned to look down at him, and Gohan smiled, reaching a hand up to ruffle the boy's hair. "That means you and me. So you can bet I'll make time to train you, no matter how much studying my mom makes me do."  
  
"I don't see how you can be so optimistic," Trunks said, frowning as he ran a hand over his hair. "But if you think so."  
  
"I do," Gohan nodded. He rolled a bit onto his side, reaching past Trunks to snatch the discarded outfit. With big eyes, he held it up. "So try it on, please? I bet you'd look cute in it." The boy's eyebrow twitched, and he grinned. "At least it's not a cheerleading outfit."  
  
* * *  
  
The front lawn was empty when Kurama reached it, and he frowned, looking back at the house. Hiei wouldn't have gone far, at least, he didn't think so. He ran a quick search for the demon's youki and smiled as he found it, as he'd thought, very nearby. It only took a moment to circle the interestingly domed house, and he raised an eyebrow at the black-haired youkai. Hiei was leaning one arm against the wall. "I know you're bored," Kurama said, sidling closer, "but you could have been a *little* more patient. I just fixed things so we'll have all night for private discussion."  
  
"We won't be 'discussing' anything tonight," Hiei snorted, eyeing Kurama's guilty smile. "You just wanted to meddle with those ningens."  
  
"I wasn't meddling," Kurama frowned, coming to stand next to his smaller lover. "In fact, I was making it a point *not* to meddle."  
  
"There was no reason to tell them," Hiei reminded him, "neither of us is loud. You chose to bring it up to see their reaction." Not receiving a denial, Hiei shook his head. His hands rose, and he pulled off his cloak and scarf with a quick sweeping movement.  
  
Blinking in surprise, though not disapproval since there weren't any windows or people around, Kurama licked his lips. "Is *that* what you were impatient about?" The question earned him a snort, and he frowned. "Well, what do you expect me to think when you order me outside and then start-" Hiei had turned his back on him, and Kurama closed his mouth as his eyes fell to that bared flesh. Anger bubbled to his lips, and he clamped down on it, moving to kneel behind his lover. His fingers played over the dark bruising that stretched from those tense shoulders down to the shaded small of Hiei's back. "You should have said something," he muttered.  
  
Hiei sniffed, looking over his shoulder at the redhaired teen. Kurama was reaching into his hair, and he settled on the ground, making himself comfortable while the youko found the right plant. "It was an inconvenience only."  
  
There were no breaks in his lover's skin, and Kurama sighed as he crushed a few rapidly grown leaves in his palm. "Not even a flesh wound, right?" A sharp nod answered that, bringing a small smile to his lips. "You're so irritating sometimes." He rubbed his hands together until they were coated before rubbing the medicine onto the bruised area. "Did this happen in a fall?" he asked, keeping his tone to mere curiosity. Hiei did not bruise easily, and he couldn't imagine a fall that would result in something this dark. Besides that, the bruise was almost circular.  
  
"No," Hiei said, keeping his head down so Kurama wouldn't get any of his mixture in his hair. "It was a back attack, some sort of energy ball. The heat was minimal, but the impact was not."  
  
Not stilling his hands, Kurama leaned a bit closer so he could look over Hiei's shoulder. "Was it anything like Yusuke's rei-gan?" Droll red eyes flicked up at him, and Kurama sighed. "I guess if you caught it in the back you wouldn't have seen it. But it must have been similar. If one hit could bruise you this much, I can see why you classified them as S class."  
  
"I only felt it after," Hiei admitted, scowling as the pain ebbed. He could feel the moment the bruised part of his back healed, that slow massage turning from uncomfortably painful to simply uncomfortable. This was not the place to be unclothed with Kurama leaning over him like that. He pulled away and had his cloak back in place a second later. Green eyes blinked up at him and he snorted at the seemingly innocent surprise written over Kurama's face. "This was not an invitation."  
  
"I don't need an invitation," Kurama sniffed, wiping his palms on the grass. "But I do believe some sort of recompense is in order. You should have told me you were hurt as soon as you noticed it."  
  
"I let you touch me, didn't I?"  
  
Kurama smirked, grabbing a fold of the youkai's black cloak and jerking Hiei down in front of him. A slender black eyebrow rose, making him pull the demon a few inches closer. "I think I deserve a little more than that. If it bothered you enough to bring me out here, it wasn't just an inconvenience." His lover snorted softly, and Kurama smiled, his arms shifting around a slender waist. "I'm half tempted to test how well I healed your back," he murmured, enjoying Hiei's partial glare, "be glad I'm willing to suffice with a kiss."  
  
* * *  
TBC 


End file.
